Figure 1.--This 1902 photograph from the Newtown School in Hebburn shows how younger English school children were dressed at the tunn of the century. The girls wear pinafores. The boys wear both lace and Eton collars. |
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Actual shirts or as they were often called at the turn of the 20th century, shirt waists, were of little importance in the development of school uniform during the last half of the 19th century. Except for France which had inroduced smocks in the 1870s, England was the only country where many boys wore uniforms. Almost always the uniform involved covering up the shirt. Rarely would boys go to school in their short sleeves. Even boys at state schools where uniforms were not required, with the exception of a cap, would dress similarly. All that was visible would be the collar--and the collar that predominated would be the Eton collar. Younger boys might wear lace collars. The senior boys at many public (private secondary) schools in England after the turn of the 20th century were allowed to wear more adult looking rounded collars. Interestingly the button down shirt collar developed at first for polp players, has never been worn for school uniforms. Almost always the collar of a school uniform shirt is a plain collar.
HBC readers may want to review the information HBC has collected on detachabe collars hat were worn with 'waists' or "shirt waists" to better undersand the collars worn by boys in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term "waist" which is no longer a term commonly used in the sence of a garment. HBC notes that 'waist' in the late 19th and early 20th century was used to mean a blouse or shirt. The modern term blouse probably captures the sence best as it was a shirt without tails. HBC has generally considered a 'waist' to be a garment or part of a garment covering the body from the neck or shoulders to the waistline, which was commonly used in womens' and childrens' clothing. We have discovered, however, that "waist" was also used to mean a child's undergarment to which other items of apparel were attached by buttons or clasps. This appears to be a term also used for stocking supporters. Sometimes mothers used pins to attach stockings to regular underwear rather than a specialized waist. The modern reader may not realize that in the 19th and early 20th century, many shirts came with detachable collars. This was an inovation adopted in the early 19th century, surprisingly in America. Most fashion inovation in the 19th century came from Europe. The detachable collar was invented in 1827 by an American housewife. By mid-century the detachable collar had become quite widespread for dress shirts. This was especially the case with Eton collars, an English fashion which became a staple for boys' wear. Detachable collars were an important labor saving device. Housewives had to wash an entire shirt when it was primarily the collar that wore out. Often the collar of a shirt wore out while the rest of the shirt was still serviceable.
The term "waist" which is no longer a term commonly used in the sence of a garment. HBC notes that "waist" in the late 19th and early 20th century was used to mean a blouse or shirt. The modern term blouse probably captures the sence best as it was a shirt without tails. HBC has generally considered a 'waist' to be a garment or part of a garment covering the body from the neck or shoulders to the waistline, which was commonly used in womens' and childrens' clothing. We have discovered, however, that "waist" was also used to mean a
child's undergarment to which other items of apparel were attached by buttons or clasps. This appears to be a term also used for stocking supporters. Sometimes mothers used pins to attach stockings to regular
underwear rather than a specialized waist.
The modern reader may not realize that in the 19th and early 20th century, many shirts came with detachable collars. This was an inovation adopted in the early 19th century, surprisingly in America. Most fashion inovation in the 19th century came from Europe. The detachable collar was invented in 1827 by an American housewife. By mid-century the detachable collar had become quite widespread for dress shirts. This was especially the case with Eton collars, an English fashion which became a staple for boys' wear. Detachable collars were an important labor saving device. Housewives had to wash an entire shirt when it was primarily the collar that wore out. Often the collar of a shirt wore out while the rest of the shirt was still serviceable.
HBC has noted a variety of different collar styles used with school clothing. Perhaps the most destinctive collar style was thge Eton collar which appeared in England, but was widely worn in other European countries and North America. Many other different collars were worn over time. Boys after the mid-century began ewaring waists with detchable collars. Many boys in the 19th and early-20th century dressed up to go to school and thus wore formal collars, often with neckwear. Sailor suits and thus sailor collars were popular for dchoolwear. After World war I shirts with standard pointed collars becane standard. After World war I schoolwear became increasingly casual and even more so after wotld war II. Here the time line and collar styles varied froim country go country. Many boys began wearing "T"-shorts without collars to school. Another popular style was polo shirts. Eurooean boys began wearing pan-European styles in the 1970s. These were casual styles heabily influnced by Americn styles. These styles are now common in schools unless there is a school uniform. Common school uniforms arelargely based on British styles and involve a white shirt with a pointed collar. Some schools have more casual uniforms, often involving a polo shirt.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer]
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